Emergency sluice



Patented Apr. 9, 1935 g 1 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE "A pplication November 18, 1933, Serial No. 698,673

In'Germany November 21, 1932 10 Claims, (01. 61-29) My invention relates in its broad aspects to imoperative position and removing it therefrom provements in the erection; maintenance and reultimately. pair of water retaining structures in general, in- The principal object of this invention is to cludingweirs, dams, overfalls, locks, sluices and overcome these drawbacks by. providingan emer- 5 like structures of various description, collectivegency sluice of. improved yet simple design 5 1y called hereinafter barrages, built as obwhich is composed .of aplurality of individualgatestructions into the bed ofariver or other stream units of relatively light weight, easy to be handled of water for the purpose of stowing up and raisand capable of being put into their operative posiing the water to a higher level--for instance for tion and removed therefrom by hand, andwithout forming a stretch of navigable deep water or a the aid of a crane, a dam, abridge, a floating huge natural water reservoir, for diverting the derrick, or like contrivances; water to a canal leading to a hydraulic power The invention further aims atso designing station, to irrigation ditches or the like. the emergency sluice gate and thebankwork i- The invention relates more especially to the the river cooperating therewith'that tight joints problem of speedily placing an emergency sluice are obtained atall parts, packing faces etc; of the 15 gate for temporary use only in front of the bargate structure which are in contact with each rage under consideration at the upstream side of other and with the bank work of the river,'so.-as to the latter, viz. so as to provide at the back of effectively eliminate leakages andto safelyv hold the emergency sluice a substantially dry space or back the stowedup water from the trench intertrench free from water, from. which all those posed between the'emergen y Sluice,and the a 20 parts of the barrage which are generally subg nc rn 1 mersed in the water, such as dewatering ap- Another object ofthe invention is to provide pliances, sluice-gates, joints, supports, hinges, an improved emergency sluice, the gate units of gears, culverts, sills, spillways etc. are readily 'acwhich and the bank work of the river cooperating sibl or in p cti n, v h ul n and p therewith'are so designed, thatthe energy ot-the The object of the invention, its salient features, -flowing water passing w st thmugh t and the advantages obtamed thereby will be cross sectional area of the river, where the sluice understoed by revertmg fi one 9 the gate is to be setup, is utilized for automatically latest types of emergency slmces known the starting the gate units concerned on being ready 130 art, which is diagrammatically illustrated in Fig. for descending into their operative position 10 of the accompanymg drawmgs: Other objects of the invention will becomein- The emergency sluice shown, in Fig.'10 comprises a series of rollers A, spanning the flood igiergzally apparent hereinafter to practitloners 1n is eld. I

way B and being fitted in horizontal position 55 within a frame C so as to have a freerolling motion upon the front faces D of the dam D, with which the rollers A are kept in contact by the energy of the flowing, water.

Frame C is suitably braced by diagonal bars 4 (not shown) and surmounted by a 'crosshead E, to which the lifting hook of a hoisting machine e. g. a crane, travelling on the top of dam D, are

attached.

The said rollers A and the'frame C constitute 4 a self contained unit which can be liftedand lowered as a Whole V specially shapedremforcements or linings of the It is evident that at allevents considerable head Work, described hereinafter Withireference room must be available above the site of the J emergency sluice described, and that a crane or Figs- 2 and 3 diagrammatically w in which 50 other rather costly or cumbersome appliance such manner a Q -B, esulting from the-stowed 50 as a derrick or. other hoisting machine, working p ng water, w act p eachfiflit t i on a dam, a bridge, a floating platform, barge sluice gate on having been brought into engageetc., is required together with a trained staif r ment with tooth racks. provided at the front faces workmen for handling the heavy emergency sluice of the bank Work of the river,

. gate structure concerned on placing it into its Fig. 4: shows in cross section the whole emer- 55 The nature and; scope of the invention-are 35 readiness to beplaced into engagement with tion relatively to I The said damming units are adapted to be asproduces a torque PH upon the drum, viz. in

gency sluice gate with all its units in their final operative position,

Fig. 5 is a plan, partly in section, showing in a larger scale the principal structural features of one of the sluice gate units and those of the bank work of the river the direction of fiow being indicated by arrows,

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary cross section, take vertically through one of the sluice gate units,

showing the latter in, operative position, immersed in the river, in an equally large scale,

Fig. 7 is a section taken vertically through-one of the tubes, used as auxiliary packing members, viz. for closing up gaps intermediate the "sluices gate proper and the bank work of the river,

Figs. 8 and 9 are cross sections through sluice gate units of modified design. 7 g

Fig. 10 illustrates in cross-section a type of emergency sluice known in the art.

Principles of construction and operation According I to this invention the sluice igate structure is composed of a plurality of separate damming units, for instance five in number designated I, II, III, IV, V, which are floatingly brought to the place where the "emergency sluice is to be set up, viz. floating in a cross wise posi-' the direction of flow, as seen in Fig.1.

sembled on top of each other in the river bed, as

, seen in Fig. 4: .For thereception of and engage- ..me'ntwith the'damming units the banks of the I so as to present a gate way; the latter is enclosed by 'shouldersS, S, crosswisely projecting into the river bed and presenting at their head water side vertically disposed abutments or faces I 0-, I 0, and by a sill S at the bottom of the river, presenting a substantially. horizontal and-even surface l0 intermediate the said shoulders in front thereof (Fig. 4). V

With the embodiment of the invention shown in Figs. 1, ii-6 the units IVaremade inthe form of tubes or drums of preferably circular cross sectional shape, hereinafter called" damming drums. The latter are closed at both ends-and are so designed and equipped with guiding, looking and packing means that, on having been brought into cooperative engagement with corresponding guiding, lockingand packing means provided at the bank work of the river, and on having been filled thereupon with a proper weight of Water (Fig. 4), each damming drum will sink -(h'+h'!) H viz. below the actual point of contact and support 1 descent:

wheel 2'! attached to gear 25.

i, from which the drum I will travel in the direction of arrow as.

Salient accessorial structural features:

I (a) Guiding and locking means damming drums during and after their travel intotheir operative positionand when ultimately the sluice gate structure is taken apart.

For cooperation with the said guiding and looking means gear wheel rims 2, 2, guide rails 4, 4 and resiliently mounted pins 6, s are provided at both ends of the damming drums.

Self-engagement 'of the said resilient pins 6, 6 with the notches I6, 16 is conveniently afforded by forming the bank work of the river with rounded off corners F, F (Fig. 5) thus the drum under treatment on drifting down the river and approaching the site of the emergency sluice in pr'ope'r'position, viz. floating crosswisely on the river, will automatically come into locking engagement with the tooth racks I2, I 2 and the locking notches I 6, l 6; the latter are wide enough to allow of temporarily disengaging the drum from the tooth racks for adjusting it by hand and with the aid of marks (not shown) in its individual initial angular position, determined with regard to the point i of engagement with the tooth racks i2, I2" and the individual length of travel, measured circumferentially, until reachin'g its final operative position.

(b) Loading the damming drums with water ballast anddz'scharging the latter In order to enable the hollow drums IV to safely withstand the different hydrostatic pressures to which each drum is individually subjectedand to provide drums of the smallest possible net weight, consistent with the appropriate mechanical strength and rigidity, the drums are given walls of different'thickness, as best seen from the hatched lines in Figs. 1 and 4, graduated in proportion to the respective hydrostatic pressure; drum I having the thickest walls, while drum V has the thinnest ones.

Means are providedfor loading the drums with water ballast, as required first (Fig. l) on floatingly placing them into engagement with the tooth racks I2, 12 and secondly (Fig. 4) for their With the embodiment of the invention, shown by Way of an examplein the drawings, the said loading means comprise water admission valves 2l--24, resiliently mounted at apartition wall 30, which crosswisely extends through the drum and subdivides it into two chambers of widely different size, a small one 40 and a large one 59.

Two sets of valve actuating mechanism are provided for opening and closing the inlet valves 2 |-24, the primary one comprising a screw and nut gear 25, a yoke 26, which cooperatively interconnects said gear-and valves, and a hand Hand wheel 2! is-accessible for being revolved byhand through .a plurality of slots or apertures 4|, provided in the circumferential walls of chamber. 48.

On'opening the inlet valves river water will enter through the apertures 4| into chamber 50, filling the latter, while the drum descends, up to the level shown in Fig. '4. The total volume of water ballast cnteringdepends on the radial distance of the valves 2I24,and the volume of air incidentally retained in the drum.

The secondary valve actuating mechanism is arranged in the large'chamber 50 ofthe drums and-is operable from the rear side of the latter, viz. from the trench intermediary the emergency sluice gate and, the barrage under construction or repair; said secondary. valve actuating "mechanism comprises a pair of bevel gear wheels .28 keyed to screw spindle 25, a shaft 29 for operating said bevel gear wheels and extending .outwardly through thecircumferential wall of the drum, and a hand wheel 29a, detachably fixed on shaft29.

On closing the inlet valves 2 |24 by means of the secondary actuating mechanism and opening the discharge valves 5l-55,-which are also accessible from the rear side of the drums- (Fig. 4) the greater portion 'of the-ballast water will flow out; as seen in Fig. 4 the discharge valves'5l-'-55 are attached to the'individual drums at difierent heights relatively to their upper and lower packing ledges '|l15, viz. so that, o-n opening said valves, predetermined quantities of ballast water will remain in the drumsz-viz. the places of the'discharge valves'being so chosen, that the ballast-water retained in each drum compensates the differences in net weight resulting from the graduated thickness of their walls referred to above, and will cause the drums to float at an appropriatepreferab1y equal-depth of immersion; as seen in Fig. 1.

For "counterbalancing the one-sided load representedby the partition wall 30 and members attached thereto, inlet valves 2l-24 and both their actuating mechanisms, 2. counter-weight 56 is provided in chamber 50, so arranged and chosen as to ensure equilibrium and cause the drums to float in substantially horizontal position. a l

(0) Packing means for securing tight joints As seen in Figs. 4 and 6 packing ledges 1 l-I5, preferably made of elastic material such as indiarubber, cork, wood, compressed fibers, etc., and presenting smooth surfaces, are fixed longitudinally on the damming drums in diametrical' position to each other; the radial-thickness of said ledges being so chosen, that the latter will be in intimate andfirmcontact with each other and the sill face 10" and thus provide water tightjoints, when the drums reachtheir operative position.

In addition tosaid packing ledgesshields or plates 8I85, suitably braced byribs or the like, are fixed on'the damming drums I-V near both ends, so as to outwardly project therefrom. and

form-together with bevelled edges '86, 86 of.

the base plates of the tooth racks, l2; l2'wedge shaped gaps: I o I a Packing rods'or poles 80,180, preferably of ends with an orifice 8a for-thedraining off water and with a plug 8b of resilientmaterial,

are to be inserted into said wedge shaped gaps, whereby water tigh1;.joints are obtained.

It shouldbe noted and will be bestseenafrom Fig. 6, that the packing plates '8l-85, in order to tightly interfit with their upperand lower edges, must be formed with projections and recesses of epicycloidic shapeLBc, in as muchas the corner point e of each packing plate ,lies

below the pitch line :of the tooth rack 12, and

runs inan epicycloidiccurve, indicated by a dotted line e, while the drum rotatingly' descends intovits operative position.

-. -For removing the emergency sluice gate described above the ballast water must be first drained off the drums by closing their inlet valves f2|-.-#24' and opening the discharge valves tile-55;

whereupon the trench at the rear of the emergency sluice. gate is filled with water, admitte for. instance through a by-pass canal.

Qnwithdrawing the packing poles 851, 80 the drums, .becauseof their restored buoyancy; are

free to rise to the surface of the river and will float thereon readyforibeing removed and'saved for future use. a

' Various changes and modifications may be made in the structural details of emergency sluices of the improved design, described above, and inthe shape and cooperation of the'component parts, without departing fromthe spirit and the salient ideas of this invention. :For instance the damming drums maybe given in special cases an elliptical or polygonal cross sectional shape-instead of a circularonee-asindi- Instead of a pluralityhof ..damming-.drumsa single one may suffice in extraordinary cases. I.

WhatI claim is: -x fl. In an emergency sluice,'the combination with a. water gate structure of a plurality of superposed damming drums adapted to float on the water and in turn to be submersed therein so 'as to be assembledon top of each other'for -cooperative.interengagement with each other and the water gate structure, submerging appliances .on said'drums, guiding means on opposite ends of said drums, and means on the gatestructure adapted to receive said guiding means, whereby the drums rotatinglydescen'd into their operative position on being submersed'.

2.In an emergency sluice, the combination 'with a Water gate structure-of a plurality of superposed damming drums adapted tofloat on the water and in turn to be submersed therein so as .to be assembled ontop of each other for cooperative interengagementwith each other and 55 a the water gate structure, submerging appliances on said drums, including means for admitting ballast water into'the drums and means for dischargingballast water therefrom, guiding means 'onopposite ends of said drums, and means on the gate structure adapted to receive saidguiding means, whereby the "drumsrotatingly descend into their operative position'on'being submersed. tubular shape and being'provided at their lower 3. In an emergency sluice" the combination with a Watergate structure'of-a plurality of superposed damming drums adapted tof loat on the water and in turn to be submersed therein so as' to be assembled on top or each otherforsaid ballast water "admitting means comprising" a'partition wall subdividing each drum into two chambers of widely different size, a plurality .of

- provided with valves mounted-on said partition wall provided with two sets of valve actuatingmechanism, the primary one being located in'the smaller chamber accessible through apertures in the circumferential walls of said chamber and the'secondary one being located in the largerchamber and actuating means extending through the circumferential walls of said larger chamber, guiding means on opposite ends of the drums, and means on the gate structure adapted to receive the said guiding means, whereby the drums rotatingly descend into their operative,

position on'being submersed. V v

4. In anemergency sluice, the combination with a water gate structure of a' plurality of superposed damming drums adapted to float on the water and in turn to be submersed therein so as'to be assembled on top of each other for cooperative inter engagement with each other and the water gate structure, submersing appliances on said drums including means for admitting ballast water into the drums and means for discharging ballast water therefrom, said ballast water admitting means comprising a partition wall subdividing each drum into two chambers of widely different size, a plurality of valvesmounted on said partition wall provided with two sets of valve actuating. mechanism, the

primary one, located in the smaller chamber and operable through apertures in the circumferential walls of said chamber, comprising a screw andnut gear,fia yoke cooperatively interconnecting said gear Withthevalves, and a hand wheel attached to said screw, the secondary valve actuating mechanism, located in the larger chamber and operable from without'said chamber comprisingla shaft extending through said partition wall'and attached to said screw and nut gear, a bevel;gear adjacent the other end of said shaft, and a second bevel gear, which cooperates ,with said first bevel. gear and is mounted: on a shaft extending through the circumferential walls of saidlarger chamber, guiding means on-opposite ends of the'drums, and means on the gate structure adapted to receive the said guiding means, whereby the drums rotatingly descend into their operative position on being submersed. a i

5. In an emergency sluice, ,thecombination with a water gate structure of a plurality of superposed dammingv drums adapted to float on the water and in turn to be submersed therein so as to be assembledon top of each other for cooperative inter-engagement with eachother and the water gate structure, submersing appliances on said drums includingmeans for admitting ballast water intothe drums and means for discharging ballast water therefrom, said ballast water admitting meanscomprising a partition wall subdividingeach'drum into two chambers of widely different size, a plurality of valves mounted on said partition wall, provided with two sets of valve actuating mechanism,the primary ture adapted to receive the said guiding means,

whereby the drums rotatingly descend into their operative position on being submersed.

.6. In an emergency sluice, the combination with a water gate structure of a plurality of superposed damming drums adapted to float on the water and in turn to be submersed therein, so as to be assembled on top of each other for cooperative inter-engagement with each other and the water gate structure, submersing appliances on said drums, packing means on each drum for producing substantially water tight joints where the drums are in engagement with each other and the gate structure, guiding means on opposite ends of the drums, and means on the gate structure adapted to receive the said guiding means, whereby the drums rotatingly descend into their operative position on being submersed.

7. In an emergency sluice, the combination with a water gate structure of .a plurality of superposed damming drums, adapted to float on the water and in turn to be submersed therein so as to be assembled on top of eachother for cooperative inter-engagement with each other and the water gate structure, submersing appliances on said drums, packing ledges extending longitudinally along the top and bottom respectively of each drum, packing plates projecting outwardly adjacent the ends of each drum, packing poles, interposed between said packing plates and gate structure, guiding means on opposite ends of the drums, and means on the gate structure adapted to receive the said guiding means, whereby the drums rotatingly descend into their operative position on being submersed.

8. In an emergency sluice, the combination with a water gate structure of a plurality of superposed .damming drums, adapted to float on the water and in turn to be submersed therein so as to be assembled on top of each other for cooperative inter-engagement with each other and the water gatestructure, submersing appliances on said drum, packing ledges extending longitudinally along the top and bottom respectively of each drum, packing plates projecting outwardly adjacent the ends of each drum, a tubular packing pole having a resilient plug in its lower end and provided with a hole above said plug for admission and discharge of water, interposed between the'packing plates on each end of the drums and the adjacent gate structure, guiding means on opposite ends of the drums and meanson the gate structure adapted to receive'the said guiding means, whereby the drums rotatingly descend into their operative position on being submersed.

' 9. In an'emergency sluice, the combination with a water gate structure'of a plurality of superposed damming'drums adapted to float on the water and in turn to be submersed therein so as to be assembled on top of each other for cooperative inter-engagement with each other and the'water gate structure, submersing appliances on said drums, resiliently mounted pins on opposite ends of .said drums, vertical reinforced notches in the bank work of the gate structure,

said notches being arranged directly opposite each other-and adapted to receive the said resiliently mounted pins, whereby the drums rotatoperative inter-engagement with each other and the water gate structure, submersing means on said drums, a gear wheel rim adjacent each end of the drums, resiliently, axially mounted pins on opposite ends of the'said drums, vertical reinforced notches in the bank work of the gate structure, said notches being arranged directly opposite each other and adapted to receive the said pins, shoulders projecting'crosswisely from said gate-structure presenting substantially vertically disposed abutments facing head water, and tooth racks on said abutments adapted to cooperate with the said gear wheel rims whereby the drums rotatively descend into their operative position on being submersed.

KARL SCHON. 

